WEST MILFORD Students at the high school not only let down their hair, they took off 10 to 12 inches for a school-sponsored charity fundraiser and donated their locks to the Locks of Love program. They also raised more than $2,000 to help families who are experiencing difficult times, said Valerie Anzlone, organizer of the event. The idea stemmed from Tracey Marsella who wanted to mark her tenth anniversary of being cancer free. Marsella conquered thyroid cancer, which is not uncommon for a former Jersey City resident, she said. Her gynecologist found a lump in her throat in 1998 and referred her to her regular physician. They ran a battery of tests, each with negative results. Seven months later, Marsella was sent to an endocrinologist who said her tests came out inconclusive. “In most cases inconclusive means positive,” she said. “So, I went on March 23, 1998, and had my left side of the gland removed. They called me on that Thursday and said it was cancer. I went back in the following Monday to have the other side removed.” Marsella said she was not given chemotherapy or radiation because they are not common treatments for this type of cancer. She was given a radioactive iodine pill that kills any residual tissue that wasn’t removed from surgery. She said her husband dealt with the children when mother wasn’t around due to doctors’ visits and treatment. “I thought that I can’t die. I have four children and I can’t die. So, I put up a fight,” Marsella said. “It’s almost ten years later and I feel wonderful. I have my blood work done every six months and everything comes back negative.” Marsella and her girls had planned on donating their hair to Locks of Love but also wanted to help the community. Her daughters are friends with the McKinnon girls who are also battling cancer. “That gave us the idea to do it more on a community scale and not just on our own,” she said. Marsella and Anzlone brainstormed on how to go about raising money. Once they decided to get hair for Locks of Love, Anzlone registered their event with the program. She also put up advertisements throughout the school and had students solicit sponsors, as well as collect cans. They also held an ice cream sale. Only 15 students signed up for the program beforehand, but a total of 27 had their haircut and styled on May 23. Hair stylists included two West Milford High School graduates and mothers of students within the district. Bonnie Mikesell (Rumors), Lisa Classey (New Harisions), Chris Keller, Donna Mazzocchi and Linda Centrelli (Diane’s Hair Den) all donated their time and talents by measuring and cutting the ponytails. They also styled and blow-dried hair for each participant. Marsella, her daughters and nephew, took the ponytails to the “Today Show” in New York, which was hosting a Locks of Love event where her nephew, who cut all of his hair off, had his head rubbed by Matt Laurer. Marsella offers these words of encouragement to those fighting cancer: “Don’t give up. Keep up the fight, it’s worth it.”